Memory, Mystery and Coherence
Does the Presence of 2‐3 Counterintuitive Concepts Predict Cultural Success of a Narrative
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12823180 |
|---|---|
| Authors | M Afzal Upal (0000-0002-5758-9077, Defence Research and Development Canada, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2011 |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue | 1-2 |
| Pages | 23-48 |
| Publication date | 2011-01-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Cognition and Culture (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1567-7095 • E-ISSN: 1568-5373 |
| Publisher | Brill (PUBLISHER • NL) |
| DOI | 10.1163/156853711x568671 |
| OpenAlex | W2094667805 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 7 |
| References cited | 7 |
This article reports an investigation involving a series of studies carried out to critically examine the hypothesis that presence of 2 or 3 minimally counterintuitive concepts in a story makes it more memorable than stories containing fewer or more of such concepts. The results paint a more complicated picture involving a number of interacting factors with contribution of the counterintuitive concepts to the global story cohesion emerging as a key mediating factor. It was found that addition of counterintuitive concepts only makes stories more memorable if those concepts contribute to the global cohesion of the overall story
Cognitive psychology · Coherence (philosophical gambling strategy · Cohesion (chemistry · Counterintuitive · Epistemology · Linguistics · Narrative · Philosophy of mind · Chemistry · Cultural Differences and Values · Language, Metaphor, and Cognition · Mathematics · Media Influence and Health · Philosophy · Psychology · Social Psychology
Cognitive Evolution and the Transmission of Popular Narratives
Charting the rise of imaginary worlds in history
Oral storytelling
Remembering Folktales
The Cognitive Foundations of Fictional Stories
Content biases in three phases of cultural transmission
Expect the Unexpected? Testing for Minimally Counterintuitive (MCI) Bias in the Transmission of Contemporary Legends
| Citations per year | 0.5 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2012 - 2025 (14) |
| Highly cited | No |